INDOOR TRACK: Middletown's Jashane Brown finishes among good company at State Open

Jimmy Zanor

Published
12:00 am EST, Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Melanie Stengel/New Haven Register
State Open Track and Field Championships / Middletown's Jashane Brown, left, runs alongside winner Harold Cooper Jr. in the 55-meter dash at Tuesday's State Open in New Haven.
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Melanie Stengel/New Haven Register
State Open Track and Field Championships / Middletown's Jashane Brown, left, runs alongside winner Harold Cooper Jr. in the 55-meter dash at Tuesday's State Open in New ... more

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Melanie Stengel/New Haven Register
State Open Track and Field Championships / Middletown's Jashane Brown, left, runs alongside winner Harold Cooper Jr. in the 55-meter dash at Tuesday's State Open in New Haven.
2/15/13 less

Melanie Stengel/New Haven Register
State Open Track and Field Championships / Middletown's Jashane Brown, left, runs alongside winner Harold Cooper Jr. in the 55-meter dash at Tuesday's State Open in New ... more

INDOOR TRACK: Middletown's Jashane Brown finishes among good company at State Open

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NEW HAVEN - Middletown's Jashane Brown had never run the 55-meter dash before this season. So it had to be somewhat daunting for the Blue Dragon senior when he stepped into the starting blocks for the State Open indoor track and field finals.

There definitely weren't any clowns to the left of Brown. Or jokers to the right.

And although a bad start cost Brown a top-three finish, he still qualified for the upcoming New England championships by placing fourth in the event Tuesday night at New Haven's Floyd Little Athletic Center.

Cooper, the Class M champion, edged Campbell at the wire to win the event in 6.46 seconds. Campbell's time was 6.47 seconds, while Berry placed third in 6.57.

"No, I didn't get a good start and that's what I've been working on the whole time," said Brown, who finished a step behind Berry with a time of 6.58. "So I just went out there and tried to finish as fast as I can to catch up."

Berry, fresh off winning the Class LL title in a school record 6.54 seconds, also didn't get the start he was hoping for.

"I had a pretty bad start as usual but I picked it up midway through the race," said Berry. "I just wanted to improve some more. Congrats to Cooper. That was a great run."

The top six finishers -- NFA's Martin Lewerk placed fifth (6.61), while Killingly's Alex Mayo was sixth (6.64) -- will be heading to the 26th annual New England Indoor Track and Field championships on March 2 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston (Mass.)

Brown, who suffered a hamstring injury during outdoor track a year ago, is gearing up for big spring running the 100, 200 and 400 for the Blue Dragons.

"It was hard running against those kids tonight," said Brown. "They're shorter and I'm taller. But I'm pretty satisfied. I just have to get in the weight room tomorrow and get ready for New Englands."

East Hampton junior Hannah Cook is also looking forward to the Boston trip.

The Bellringer junior placed fifth in the women's high jump event, tying a person best with a jump of 5 feet, 2 inches.

"I was hoping to get second or even win but I'm going to New Englands so I'm happy with fifth," said Cook.

Bloomfield's Natori Jones won the event with a jump of 5-5. Cook was the runner-up to Jones in the Class S finals.

"I had three goals basically," said Cook. "I wanted to make New Englands, I wanted to win the Open and I wanted to get 5-4. I got one them, and I'm OK with that."

Cook's teammate, senior Amber Sekoll, was one of the top area performers Tuesday with her third-place finish in the girls' pole vault.

Sekoll, the runner-up in Class S, vaulted 10 feet. Weston's Emily Savage won the title with state record vault of 11-11.

"Tonight was definitely better than previous weeks this season," said Sekoll. "I've come a long way. It's not quite where it was for outdoor but I'm still really happy. I was just here to have fun and see what I can do. I've done 11-3 before so hopefully I'll get back up there during outdoor."

"Amber's just an amazing athlete to have in the program," said East Hampton coach Bill Wilkie. "She's one of the hardest working kids I've ever coached. She's a great team and role model for the other athletes, especially for the younger kids. Pole vault's her favorite. That's definitely where she excels the most at and she's done a great job all four years."